Macan: A smaller, sexier sports ‘ute’ in the works from Porsche

Porsche has officially announced the name of the company’s upcoming sport utility vehicle. The diminutive SUV, which up until now has been referred to as the Cajun, will shed its former moniker and take its place among its Porsche brethren as the Macan.

The Porsche Macan is the very latest SUV from the German automaker and follows in the footsteps of its larger sibling, the Cayenne. While we don’t have much to go off of – other than the sketch above — the Macun will surely enter the growing crossover/sporty SUV segment facing less skepticism from automotive purists than the Cayenne and Panamera.

Some may recall that initial reactions to the Cayenne and Panamera were filled with (somewhat) warranted uncertainty. Still, if Porsche has proven anything with both breakaway models it’s that it knows it can delve into different segments of the market without sacrificing the very nature of what makes a Porsche, a Porsche.

If you happen to be wondering why Porsche chose Macan as the name for its newest addition, wonder no more. According to Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing Bernhard Maler, Macan is derived from the Indonesian word for Tiger.

Don’t expect this tiger to try and shed its stripes, though. Based on the preliminary sketch it appears the Macan will share some similar design cues with the Cayenne, while offering slightly better handling given its outwardly lower profile and stature. In addition, the Macan is said to utilize the same chassis as the Audi AQ5 and is scheduled to enter production in 2013 — giving us a rough idea of what to expect.

It’s no secret we’re certainly excited to learn more about the Macan, our solitary sketch seems rather cruel from our German friends who seem to be keeping details tightly under wraps.

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